A Venetian blind is widely welcomed as a window covering because it provides the functions of blocking sun rays, adjusting indoor brightness, decorating rooms, providing privacy, etc. A conventional Venetian blind typically includes a head rail, a bottom rail, a plurality of slats, a raising mechanism including multiple raising cords, and a tilting or adjustment mechanism including multiple ladder strings. The lifting member typically comprises cords that are laterally symmetrically provided on the blind to balance the bottom rail and the slats for them to be lowered or lifted synchronously. By pulling the raising cords, the bottom rail and the slats are lifted or lowered relative to the head rail as desired.
A Venetian blind also offers the ability to permit light into a room without lifting the entire blind by tilting the slats. The slats can be tilted upward or downward through operation of the tilting mechanism which adjusts the ladder strings. In this regard, each ladder generally includes a front and rear, and vertically-extending members or strings connected to each other by a plurality of vertically-spaced cross-rungs. Supported on each cross-rung, between the vertically extending members of its ladder, is a slat, such as a narrow aluminum strip or wooden board. The head rail generally includes this tilting or adjusting mechanism for moving the ladders, so that the vertically-extending members of each ladder move in opposite vertical directions relative to one another, to pivot each slat about its length-wise axis. By tilting the above-mentioned slats to a different angle of inclination, the amount and direction of light projected into a room through the Venetian blind can be controlled and adjusted.
Another form of window covering is commonly referred to as a Roman shade. Unlike the Venetian blind which is formed of slats and presents sharp uniform aesthetic lines, a Roman shade provides a cascading softer appearance. The present invention offers a window covering having the softer appearance of curved panels which are opened and closed in a manner similar to the Venetian blind of U.S. Ser. No. 10/413,200.